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Old 03-06-2011, 10:50 AM   #2
Tony Wagstaffe
Location: Winchester
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,211
United Kingdom
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Re: Disabled students

Quote:
Roisin Pitman wrote: View Post
Since 1990 I have been partially sighted, having undergone 32 operations (between 1990 and 94) at Moorfield's Eye Hospital in London, UK due to a genetic condition that attacks the body's collagen. My father was blind for most of his life and when I reached 28 I lost my sight overnight. I have since managed to gain approximately 20 % vison in one eye. This made me have to relearn simple things in aikido training such as balance, movement etc.
A year ago I was appointed Honorary Director of Disability Martial Arts for the Jersey Sports Association for the Disabled with a remit to encourage people who are differently abled to enjoy martial arts if they so wish.
I now have three regular students who actively take part in training and wondered if any other instructors or students had experience of teaching aikido to the disabled. My three students present three very different challenges, one is severely autistic, one is a double amputee and my top student is wheelchair bound with quadriplegic arthetoid cerebral palsy. They are fully integrated into the classes attended by able bodied students.
I had an autistic student who was very clever academically at the uni here when I was teaching.... He was autistic in his coordination, but I can't remember the exact description for his type of autism. He had a problem where he would be somewhat heavy handed , not because he was violent, but more that he was trying to hard.... I found you just have to be more patient than you would be with other students. I would uke for him when he found difficulties, He managed to get to 5th kyu when unfortunately the club was brought to an end......
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